Heavy Periods: 5 Reasons Why Your Aunt Flo’s Visits Last So Long

Ileana is the Editor of Original Content at LittleThings. She grew up in upstate New York and Oregon and now lives in Queens, NY. Ileana graduated from Skidmore College with a degree in sociology. After graduating, she attended the Columbia Publishing Course in New York City, then worked as in marketing at Oxford University Press. Since transitioning to editorial, she has written for sites like BuzzFeed, HuffPost, and Unwritten. She has also worked for local newspapers and magazines in upstate New York. In her free time, you can find Ileana watching Law and Order: SVU, eating ice cream, and spending time with her dog.

If you ask most women what their least favorite part of being a woman is, the majority of them will most likely have the same response: menstrual cycles.

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While starting your period as an adolescent or young adult can be exciting, since it means you’re finally “becoming a woman,” the excitement almost always wears off within a day or two.

Once you realize that getting your period means monthly pain, mood swings, and bleeding, you quickly realize that this is something annoying you’ll have to deal with for decades to come.

Many women are lucky enough to have light periods that only last a few days, but there are a lot of women who have to deal with much tougher periods.

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Women who have heavy periods may experience increased blood flow, more cramping and pain, and significantly more discomfort than women with light to regular periods.

Dealing with a heavy period is a huge hassle, and you might be wondering, “What makes my period heavy?”

Read on to find out a variety of reasons as to why you might have a heavy period.

Normal Versus Heavy Periods

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According to Everyday Health, an average period occurs every 28 days and lasts around 4 days.

A normal period produces about 2 to 3 tablespoons of blood. A heavy period produces 4 or more tablespoons of blood.

However, heavy periods are more often defined by the amount of discomfort a woman is in, rather than the amount of blood that is produced.

The cause of uterine fibroids is unknown, but there are many surgical and non-surgical treatments available.

Menorrhagia Cause #3: Miscarriage Or Ectopic Pregnancy

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Miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies can also cause extreme menstrual periods.

In addition to being emotionally challenging, miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies — in which the fertilized egg implants itself in the fallopian tube — can cause a variety of physical symptoms, including menorrhagia.

Menorrhagia Cause #4: Use Of Blood Thinners

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Understandably, blood thinners can increase the amount of blood a woman loses during her period.

Thus, the use of blood thinners may cause menorrhagia, explains WebMD.

Menorrhagia Cause #5: Problems With A Non-Hormonal IUD

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If you use a non-hormonal intrauterine device (IUD) and notice that you’re experiencing menorrhagia, your IUD may not be functioning properly.

Speak to your doctor if you think your IUD is causing problems with your period.

What Should I Do If I Have Heavy Periods?

Laura Caseley for LittleThings

It’s very important to visit your doctor if you think you suffer from menorrhagia.

In addition to the causes listed above, you could be dealing with something more serious — such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), adenomyosis, various forms of cancer, and/or conditions that effect your liver, kidney, and thyroid.

While these causes are rare, you can never be too safe, so please be sure to contact your gynecologist.